Save My Soul
by YouGoFromThere
Summary: April Kepner, the hotshot CEO of MusixLab company, stumbles upon a humble artist, Jackson Avery. What will happen next?
1. Two Is Better Than One

"Boss, you can't do this. You're the CEO of this company, you can't follow an artist. Leave that to the manager. Who is going to handle the

company if you just run around artists the whole day?" the young blonde said.

"Did I ask for your insight?" the boss asked raising an eyebrow.

The blonde shakes her head refusing.

"Then you need to let me do my job. If only the managers would do their job, I wouldn't be in this situation, now, would I, Miss Izzie?"

"But boss, what am I going to say to Mr. Webber?"

"Say him I'm sick or something and that I'll be back in a couple of days, Izzie. C'mon it's not that hard"

Izzie watches her boss walk away shaking her head.

**_April_**

After days of searching almost all the clubs, metros and streets, I'm about to give up but I don't know why my heart is not allowing me to like I know I'm gonna find someone soon.

The weather is really pleasant, the autumn leaves are falling and I need to go out and eat, something which I hate doing alone.

I dial up Stevens number.

"Hey Izzie"

"Hello boss. You need something?"

"Do you mind joining me for dinner?" I hesitate a bit after I ask, we were never friends or anything close, just strictly a boss and an assistant.

"Me?! Yeah sure. Any luck with finding a breakthrough singer?" she asks.

"Well if I did, I'd be back at the office, now, wouldn't I?" I snap back almost ashamed of my unsuccessful venture.

"Sorry boss. You're gonna find someone soon. I know it. How about 9ish? I'll meet up as soon as I'm done with work"

"Sounds good" I say and keep the phone wondering how can she be so optimistic about literally everything and how she puts up with my shit.

I'm strolling through Times Square trying to spend some time. The lights and the crowd always make me feel alone. Lost in my own thoughts I hear this really soulful voice of a man enveloped withing the strums of guitar. A tint of huskiness, with just the right amount of feelings. I'm dragged right out of my own thoughts towards the sound of it.

"_There's so much time_

_To figure out the rest of my life_

_But I figured out with all that's said and done_

_Two is better than one" _

I need to meet this guy. I push through the crowd and try to see who it is, but with no luck. The crowd is just too much.

A wave of sorries and excuse me's, I reach the middle of the crowd but he is no where to be found. The crowd has started thinning out too. I wonder who it was. But I know he is what I'm searching for. He is what our label needs. I go everywhere, running around frantically searching for him, wondering where he vanished.

"Hey! Watch where you're going" I accidentally bump into someone unwantedly and fall down.

"You need to see where you're going, you freak" I get shouted on.

"Excuse me" I shout back.

"Hey back off. Leave the girl alone." I hear a voice. A hand reaches out to me saying "You need some help there? ".

I look up to find the perfect description of tall, dark and handsome. He was this amazing looking guy but somehow kinder. Usually I don't see people in this city helping others unless they know them personally. Hell! I don't help others even if I know them.

"Yeah! Thanks!" I say and grab his hand. His touch is quite warm and masculine. A tiny bit of secure feeling arises, tingling in my heart.

"Looks like you're not used to the rush?" the guy asks me while I brush off the dust from my clothes.

"And it's your business because?" I retort as I start to look around for the singer.

"Hey you don't have to answer if you don't want to." he gives me a strange look.

"I'm searching for someone, he was performing"

"Should I be honored? Or should I be scared? You aren't some crazy stalker, are you? " He asks me with a grin.

I shake my head refusing.

"Sure if you were sing...ing"

"Two is better than one...Yep! That's me" he cuts right through my words and that's when I look into his bluish eyes. They are so deep, a hint of sadness if I'm not mistaken.

"Oh wow! I'm sorry let's start over. April Kepner." I offer him my hand.

"Jackson Avery" he grabs my hand giving a firm press.

"Which school did you go to?"

"I haven't been to school, couldn't afford it" he says with a slight shrug.

"But, you're amazing..!! Where did you learn how to sing like that and the guitar, that was flawless." I ask awestruck.

"Thanks for the compliment. It's always been a passion to entertain people." he says and I see that sadness right through his eyes.

"Well, I'm a fan" I smile and accidentally look right into his eyes and can't help to break away the stare.

"So you are a stalker!" he says breaking the eye contact.

"Maybe. Maybe Not." I say and he laughs. "I do have something to ask you" I say.

His phone starts ringing, he reaches into his pocket and looks at the brightly lit screen. I can see all the color fading off his face. I don't think he even heard what I said. I overhear some of the conversation he has with the other person.

"Hey...is everything okay?...What do you mean...just go...dont wanna see you...I'll be right there..." he leaves without saying another word.


	2. Changes

"Boss! Boss! Wake up!"

Izzie tries to wake April up.

"Wha...?! Where am I?" April wakes up startled

and rubs her eyes trying to see where she exactly is.

"Boss, you're at my place. Don't you remember? We went to dinner and you were drinking. You kept on talking about some guy whom we should pursue for the company."

"Jackson! I need to find him. I'm going to the office I'll see you there. And Izzie..."

"Yeah"

"Please keep the coffee rolling when you come and thanks for letting me crash here."

"Yes boss!"

April hurries towards the office and assembles her team in an instant.

"We need to find him. His name is Jackson." April says to their private investigator, Callie Torres. "All about him. His past, his present. Everything! Whatever there is to him. We need it!"

"But Mam wouldn't it be easier to just get someone who wants to be an artist." Callie asks.

"Well someone doesn't have what he has." April barks. "Now are you gonna do it or do I have to find someone who would?"

"Yes mam. I'm on it already." Callie agrees. "It would be easier if he had a last name"

"Avery" April says.

"Avery?!" Callie asks just to be sure.

"Yes. Is there a problem?"

"Mam. Is there any chance he has any connection to the Avery Music Empire? Well if he is. Then we do have a problem."

"I don't think so. Find out!!! That's what you're for" she screams and Callie and others run away.

"Boss! Here are your coffees" Izzie enters the room with a dozen cups. "You seem tensed"

"Yes. If we don't get him we all are going to lose our jobs."

"What do you mean?"

"Our company is losing sponsors, thanks to the Averys." April says looking out the tall glass windows of her office. "Mr. Webber has decided to discard all the staff, including me." April says as tears well up in her eyes.

"Boss, but what if he is an Avery. That would be us begging for trouble, don't you think." Izzie questions.

"Let's hope he is not." April answers looking puzzled.

Callie barges in the door seemingly surprised by what she found out.

"Boss I've got good news and bad news" Callie says.

"Hit me the bad one" April says.

"I couldn't find anything about his family. He is a nobody, that I can guarantee."

"Well that's good news" April let's out a sigh of relief.

"Hear me out. He wants nothing to do with becoming an artist. He has been in trouble before with a music producer according to his police records."

"Well I'll deal with that." April says playing with her pen swaying her chair.

"The good news is I've his address, he lives downtown. Currently he works as a barista in 'Words n Cream Café' which means..." Callie says positively.

"he can leave his job when ever he wants to" Izzie remarks.

April springs from her chair and starts to head out.

"Don't you think we should plan it out first?" Callie asks.

"We've got no time. I'll think about it on the way. Meanwhile if you find something else, keep me updated." she says.

"Izzie you know what to do" April signals towards the phone.

"Yes boss!" Izzie affirms.

April takes a cab to the coffee shop.

"I'd like you to stop here, thank you." April says to the cab driver.

"Yes Mam" he says as he stops the car.

April pays up and pulls out her phone to see the directions to the café. She wantedly stopped a mile before the café so as not to appear like she is stalking or she is desperate. She starts walking towards it. She didn't want him to know the real reason why she is there.

She spots the "Words n Cream Café" . She opens the door and enters casually like she ended up just for a coffee. Looking around she finds a couple of people on their laptop and some random people just sipping on their cups.

She walks towards the counter expecting to stumble upon Jackson but he is nowhere to be seen. Another barista walks up to her.

"Hello Mam. I'm DeLuca, what may I serve you today?"

"Well I'm looking for..." She says absentmindedly.

"Yes?" the barista asks.

"I'm looking for some espresso" she smiles.

"To go or?"

"Here. Thank you" April says and finds herself an empty table.

She starts to think about all the possibilities why he is not here, what she should do next and picks her phone to dial up Callie. The phone starts to ring and she picks up.

"One espresso to deliver." DeLuca shouts.

"Are you sure this is... ?" April barks on the phone.

"Yep ma'am . This is where you find the best coffee in the whole US." a familiar voice speaks up.

April turns towards the barista to find Jackson.

"Hi. Omg?! It's you" April acts out.

"I didn't know I was serving you or I'd bring freebies too" Jackson says. "But seriously are you stalking me?"

"Haha. I wish! I'd come here daily if I knew you work here." she says blushing.

"Really?" Jackson asks raising an eyebrow.

"Well that's what stalkers do, don't they?" she says coyly.

"Yep. Looks like you've quite an experience. Jokes apart, I'd like to say sorry for the other day. I had an emergency which is why I rushed off." Jackson apologizes.

"It's okay." April says.

"You were about to say something the other day. What was it?" Jackson asks leaving April speechless as she thinks about what to say.


	3. If I Go

"I just wanted to know, have you ever tried going mainstream? YouTube maybe? Or a record label?" April looks into his eyes looking for an honest answer.

"Let's just say I hate music companies and anyone who is related to it. But enough about me... Why don't we talk about you?" Jackson just bounces off the question. "What do you do for a living?" he asks still wandering in his thoughts.

"I... I... I'm a manager." April stammers to which Jackson raises an eyebrow. "At a software company" she quickly covers up.

"Oh nice! I thought you'd be a doctor or something like that." Jackson smiles.

"Why would you think that?" April asks him.

"It's just something about you. You're so confident and usually doctors are like that. So you know... Forgive me if I've offended you."

"Don't be silly." April quickly says. "So what do you do outside of this café?"

"Well it's just me and my mom. So you know I don't have much of a life."

"Wow. Like seriously? No friends?" April shockingly asks.

"Nope! None." he shakes his head.

April has all these thoughts running in her head. Why is he so lonely? Why does he hate music companies so much? It must be the record which she heard about. How does she get him on board? Something in her heart changes.

"Boss" Izzie says.

"Yes Izzie" April replies.

"Mr. Webber was here while you were out." Izzie reports.

"And?"

"And he wants a star by any means necessary."

April sighs.

"I don't know what to do." April bangs her hand on the table and then runs her hands on her head.

"Boss you already did have a plan. You said that"

"I can't go through with it. I just can't. He is not like everyone else." April says like she knows him since forever.

"But what was it?" Izzie questions.

"To find his weakness and use it against him, basically forcing him to do it"

"But that's common in this industry. Don't you think?"

"It is. But I don't want to force him to do it."

"If I didn't know you any better. You're going too easy on him." Izzie says.

"Izzie, what would you do if you were in my place?"

"Ummm. I'd say him the truth"

"That's not an option"

"Then I'd find someone else for the job"

"That's not an option either Izzie. My heart tells me he is the one for this company."

"Boss, if you don't mind I just wanna give you a heads up."

"Go ahead"

"You like him." Izzie lays it out in the air.

"Wha?? What?? No! I barely know him" April stutters as a pink blush starts to appear on her cheeks.

"Hear me out... You have a soft... Uh... spot... What do you call it" She clicks her fingers simultaneously until it occurs "Soft corner for him. You should control whatever it is before everything goes out of hand."

April doesn't have an answer, she just nods to what Izzie just said.

A few weeks pass with constant friendly accidental bump ins with Jackson. Late at night her phone pings with a message. It's from Izzie. The screen light beaming on her face. She opens it.

**_RECEIVED_** : THE DEADLINE IS REAL. We've a month. You need to snap out of your crush and tell him the truth about who you really are.

Now that she hears it from someone else's mouth, her denial was becoming unnecessary. She knew in her heart that it's true. She did have a teensy bit of crush on him. But now saying the truth was far from becoming a reality, because now she was scared about losing more than just a star for the company, she was scared about losing who could be the one.

She texts Izzie back with drousy eyes.

**_SENT_** : I'll try to talk to him about the record deal tomorrow.

_Thank_ you for all the positive reviews everyone. I was going to abandon it due to lack of interest. But I'm going to continue writing it. Thank you again. 


	4. Wake Me Up When September Ends

**_JACKSON_**

"Jackson?"

The voice startled Jackson who had fallen asleep in the chair. He blinks a couple of times to wake up his sleepy eyes.

"You're up. Do you need something?" Jackson asks concerned.

"If I did, I'd do it myself" the woman replies.

"Ma! How are you feeling now?" he asks.

"Much better."

"I'll grab you a glass of juice." He moves towards the mini fridge stored in the corner of the room. "Tell me about your day"

"Well I'm here the whole day. There's nothing new with me. The real question is how was your day? I know there's something going on with you. Cmon spill the beans"

"Nothing is going on" Jackson says unknown to him that he is smiling like a teenager.

"I'm your mother. You think I don't know something has changed when my son wants to hum suddenly out of nowhere." Jackson hands over the glass of juice that he had just poured and looks at his mother realizing that he had been humming a song all the while.

"It's just that, there is this girl I met" Jackson speaks up and he can't help to keep that smile off. "She makes me want to follow my dreams, ya know forget the past and make it happen." he shrugs his shoulders.

"And? Tell me more about her" Catherine says and just then there's a knock on the door.

"Hello Miss Catherine and Mr. Jackson, how are you feeling today?" a young woman enters the room. "Hope I'm not interrupting a good mother and son bonding time"

"Well nope I'm glad you're here actually." Jackson says to the woman.

"Of course he would be. You see he met a girl. It's like I'm raising a teenager all over again." Catherine says.

"Well you know what they say when in love..." the lady in white says.

Jackson interrupts before she can say anything. "So are the reports here yet?"

"Well about that, the doctor will be here any minute" the woman replies.

Jackson is not able to breath hearing those words, the whole room starts to spin. The heart rate monitor beeping becomes apparent to him when just a while ago, it felt like everything was fine, like he and Catherine were at their living room talking casually over tea.

He knows exactly what the nurse means. He knows it's bad. He gains his composure back and looks at his mother, faking a smile so she doesn't realize it yet.

"April" Jackson spurts her name. "Her name is April, Ma" Jackson tries to change the topic.

"April? Wow that's a really pretty name." Catherine says happily.

"Her name does no justice to her" he says reminiscing how she looks.

"How are you feeling Miss Catherine" A tall red headed doctor enters the room.

"I'm feeling all better now. I can't wait to go home, cook some dinner and meet April. My boy here is in love" She says teasing Jackson.

"No... MOM... I just met her... I'm not in love..." He shakes his head all the while blushing and smiling.

"Well the reports are here and it looks like you're going to have to delay the dinner party, Sorry. But right now you've to take a lot of rest. I'm going to take this party outside."

With that Dr. Hunt escorts Jackson outside to the hallway.

"Dr. Hunt, what is it?"

"Jackson, your mother is not responding to the treatment." Dr. Hunt places his hand on Jackson's shoulder trying to comfort him.

"Is there anything else that can be done? Any other way. There must be something" Jackson says in disbelief.

"There is, but... I'll share you the details with you after I confirm about it. I need to get approval for it" Dr. Hunt says and leaves.

Jackson sits on the chair, tears rolling down his cheeks with his hands to his head wondering what to do. His phone vibrates and he sees that it's April.

"Hey is this a bad time?"

"No, what is it?" Jackson says voice shaking because of the tears.

"You don't sound good. Do you wanna grab a bite or something?"

Jackson would have been happy hearing those words if it was any other time but now he wasn't so sure what to do.

"I gotta take a raincheck. I'm sorry" he says

"Don't be. Well if you change your mind, I'll be at the waffle place I told you about the other day."

LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLI

**_APRIL_**

April sits at the table going through a million scenarios to how she would say the truth to him.

"Would you like to order anything Miss?" a young Indian man asked her.

April doesn't answer as she is lost in her own thoughts.

"Excuse me! Miss..." he calls out again which startles April and she looks at him. "My name's Vik Roy. Are you ready to order?" he says.

"No..." she says and looks out the window.

"You look lost" he grabs a chair and sits across her. "You can share with me."

"Excuse me. I'd like to be left alone right now. So if you'd just get out of my sight. That'd be real nice."

"Wow you're a biter. I like that." He says biting the thin air.

"Would you leave me alone like a normal person or do I have to punch your stupid face?" she says in disgust.

"Hey hey calm down. I'm just trying to make a conversation." he tries to reach for her when someone stops him.

"She asked you to leave." Jackson says staring at him. April's face lights up looking at him.

"Put a leash on your girl here." Vik says and Jackson readies his fist to punch when April stops him.

"He is not worth it." she says and offers him to sit down. "I'm so glad you could make it."

"I wish I could've been here sooner so jerks like him wouldn't waste your time." Jackson says smiling.

"Is everything okay?" April asks noticing he ain't his usual self.

"Well not exactly." Jacksons eyes become tearful.

"You can tell me. Did you eat? Let me get you something. What do you want?" April offers.

"Surprise me. Looks like you know this place better than anyone"

"Yeah I've been coming to this place since I was a kid. This is my safe zone. My parents would bring me here whenever there would be a happy occasion or sad or anything to celebrate. This was it. This was our go to place." she says as she orders two specials.

"So you still do that?" Jackson asks.

"Well I would've loved to do it still but I can't. They died a couple of years ago." April says with tears in her eyes. Jackson's heart pangs with the thought that her mother could also meet with the same fate if there is no other way.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have... Asked.." He says and reaches for April's hand. April wipes the tears off her cheeks.

"Well you didn't know. So it's ok, don't be sorry" April says and realizes she should be telling him the truth. Rip it off like a band aid. She grabs his hand and speaks up "I've got something important to share with you."

"Yeah me too. But you go first."

"Well... Huh.." she breathes out and chuckles nervously. "I don't know how to say this. You're going to hate me after this."

"Nothing could make me hate you. I like you." Jackson spurts out without realizing he just laid out his feelings on the table. April can't believe what she just heard. "I mean..."

"No. Wait. Please let me finish." April stops him as it dawns on her that he really likes her. "I'm a CEO."

"What?! I don't understand. You said you were... " he raises his eyebrows.

"Well I'm a CEO of a record company." As soon as he hears those words he removes his hands out of April's grip and places it on his forehead, rubbing it.

"Why are you telling me this?" Anger slowly creeping on his face. "Why now?"

"Please hear me out. I had no choice. I heard you singing the other night and I loved your talent. I liked your singing a lot. I wanted you to be associated with the company I work for. I heard about your fallout with another record company and I'm well aware of your hatred of music companies. I had no other way."

"So you lied to me? You decided you could be my friend just to play with my feelings? What do you think it makes me feel now?. I HATE YOU! Do you get that? All the people in your industry are the same. You all just want what you want regardless of how the other person feels about it. No matter how you get it, you just have to have it. Don't you? You're a self centered, obnoxious woman and to think I really liked you. YOU!! Of all the women in the world."

April feels those words stabbing her heart. Her eyes become tearful. Though it had been just a few weeks since they met, it felt like they've known each other for ages.

"Listen to me. I had no other choice. I had to do what I could to save the company from going bankrupt"

"By lying to me?"

"How else would you agree with me. I thought of paying what you wanted, any number, any digit. But then I realized you're not like the others, you are not a sell out. At the time I thought it was the best but as the days grew and the lies became bigger I realized I'm just screwing it all up. I'm really sorry for hurting you but I'm not sorry for trying to save my job"

"So all those innocent run-ins were just a set up?" he asks and she nods her head. "You think I'm gonna be ok with it now just because you're telling the truth? Guess what? You're wrong. You can just go to hell for all I care" He says and leaves without turning back.

April looks at his figure slowly fading and realizes her chest hurts. Her heart is broken. She had many arguments with many people but this one hurt her the most. She picks up her phone and sends a message to Izzie.

**_SENT _** : _Ripped off the bandage. Start the search._ _I lost. _


End file.
